Dive Brief:

• SAP will introduce dozens of enterprise applications as part of its new partnership with Apple, including both industry specific and more general apps, according to the Wall Street Journal.

• Steve Lucas, SAP’s president for platform solutions, said all of the applications will be available on Apple’s App Store and at least some of them will be free. 

• The two companies announced a partnership last week to develop iOS native enterprise apps for iPhones and iPads using SAP’s HANA platform.

Dive Insight:

SAP will also deliver an iOS software development kit and training academy to allow customers to build their own business-tailored apps.  Lucas said the industry specific apps will include areas such as health care and retail. The first apps are expected later this year.

Once the first group of apps are developed, the two companies will then work on apps created by SAP's consulting and IT service firm partners. The partnership could potentially quicken a company’s ability to deliver mobile business applications to customers and internal users.

"This partnership will transform how iPhone and iPad are used in enterprise by bringing together the innovation and security of iOS with SAP’s deep expertise in business software," said Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO. 

Apple has little traction in the enterprise market and creating iOS native business apps could draw in more customers, especially those with more flexible work environments. Apple already has partnerships with Cisco and IBM to try and boost its place in corporate IT. 

The company has been competing with Microsoft, Google and others to win more enterprise customers, pushing to get its products into more businesses as the consumer market becomes more saturated.